GOLDEN, CO(WFLX) - Health Grades, which is a highly regarded and independent healthcare ratings organization, just surveyed the nation's 5,000 hospitals, and out of those, they came up with the top five percent.

Several in our area received the Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence Award.

Experts combed through 40 million records looking at how sick patients were when they came in and how they improved and whether procedures at those hospitals actually helped them get better.

In St. Lucie County, Lawnwood Regional Medical Center and Heart Institute got the nod, too.

And in Indian River County, Sebastian River Medical Center made the list.

"There is actually a 29 percent lower risk of dying at one of these hospitals that got the Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence Award and 9 percent lower risk of complications. These are huge differences," said Dr. Rick May of Health Grades which is based in Colorado.

The bottom line, according to Mays, patients who go to one of the top five percent hospitals will have a better clinical outcome.